A day in Lazulis
by TheNightsWithSalem
Summary: A moment of solitude for Dagran, followed by a nice meeting and a visit to the fortune teller that will change his life in a way that he can't imagine... (caution: contains spoilers about the game... and a little anticipation upon my upcoming sequel series ;) )
1. In good company

_**This was the first fanfiction I ever wrote upon this game, three or four years ago, and I'm still trying to do some corrections on it. Mirrored from my account on DeviantArt. I'll post the other three parts of it the next week.**_

 **In good company**

Dagran woke up before sunrise and left the Tavern making less noise as possible. Only the tapster Kentis and that fortune teller who always stood in front of the Tavern had noticed him. He wandered for hours around the island, ruminating on the latest happenings, before stopping on that cliff. It was a remote and peaceful place, perfect for stand alone for a while; something that he really needed at the time. He stayed for a while staring at the horizon, lost in thought, stirred as the waves far below him, without finding the solace he sought.

Tired of his ruminations, Dagran folded his hands behind the head and let himself fall backwards on the grass next to his two swords, legs dangling from the spur. At that point, clearing his mind seemed the right choice to make.

Suddenly, he noted in the air that strange dust, like dried fragments of petals. Now it came everywhere. Dagran stared at it, on his toes, but before it could rest on the grass, the wind drove it over the cliff, toward the open sea.

 _This dust... is it truly the sign that our world is dying?_

But where it appeared more, he knew, people tended to get sick, to wither. And whoever survived was not so lucky.

He was actually poisoned by time, however the cures that Mirania gave to the group during their battles has slowed the progress of the disease, allowing him to hide the thing at all, even to her.

Maybe in the long run, she could heal him completely...

Dagran closed his eyes and drove away the dust from his mind, he blew it away like the wind just did and stayed lying down for a while, alone with the cry of the seagulls.

He dozed until the sun peeped out from the rocks above, when the hunger pangs remembered him that it was almost noon.

He remained for longer than expected, not to mention that sleeping alone in a place so exposed and far from any potential aid was a long shot.

Dagran stood up and after getting dusted the short chain mail and his arms, he gave one last look around. He considered the idea of settling for some wild fruits and stay there to enjoy the tranquility of that corner a little longer, but the hunger was too much: his stomach wanted meat, and there wasn't any. He passed an hand between his dark hair. Might as well go back to the tavern.

He secured the swords to the belt, covered them with the cape around his waist and started for the split in the rock wall behind him. He manoeuvred between the spikes of the passage for about ten minutes, with the little light coming from the cracks over his head to reveal the way, before arriving at the main gallery which gave access to the Stargazers' Tower. Turning to the right, he gave his backs on the sunlit ruins just past the exit and got ready to go to town when a young female voice behind him called his name.

«Dagran, is it you?»

He knew that voice. From the entrance of the ruins he saw the red hair of Ariela rapidly approaching, followed by Jenna, the merchant who lived at the tavern.

Once she reached him, the girl had to raise her head to catch his eye and gave him a smile while recovering her breath.

«I never expected to find you here. Where did you come from? When we passed before, there was nobody.»

«I arrived a little while ago to take a look at the tower...» he improvised «...but I didn't realize the time and then I was on my way to the Tavern. Anyway, why you two are here? It may be dangerous to walk around on your own.»

«Oh, don't worry» Jenna replied quiet slapping one hand on her hip.

Only then Dagran noted that, in addition to a half-empty bag, the woman had a sword hanging on the belt of her pants, together with a small crossbow.

«I can both sell and use weapons very well» she said with a chuckle.

«I wished to see the waves of the sea, so I asked Jenna to join me» Ariela explained «You know, there is always a large throngs at the harbour and the entrance to the town and I wanted to stay in a place a little more quiet. We were coming back too now. Do you want to take the road together?»

He willingly accepted. Dagran didn't know much about Jenna, but Ariela was always a pleasant company at the Tavern, and now that he saw her outside the walls of her house, she seemed almost more cheerful than usual.

«Why all this desire to see the sea?» he asked her after a while, partly out of curiosity and partly in the hope that the chitchat were enough to cover the insistent and increasingly protests of his stomach.

«Well, remember the wall with the foreign moneys at the Tavern?» she started «Every time I look at it, it makes me want to travel, and watch the sea makes me feel like I could reach any place.»

«That's a nice thought» he said while Jenna pulled out of the bag a couple of apples and gave one of them to him. «Maybe someday you'll not just going to watch it, but you will sail and visit exotic lands for real, you never know. Look at me: as a child I wanted to become a Knight and that's why as soon as I could I founded a group of mercenaries with Zael. We worked hard and after many efforts the dream is almost done» he concluded giving a strong bite to the fruit he had in hand. No matter how small, that apple brought him a big relief.

«Sure, I heard that you and your friend have been appointed to Knights in training,» Jenna began to say «now that he has passed the trial of the Tower, I assume you too will take the challenge, aren't you?»

Seeing him nod, she continued: «I'm glad to see that someone eventually realizes their childhood dreams. I suppose that as a child you imagined to fight for justice or anything with a glittering armour, uh?»

«Yeah, sort of...»

At the beginning it was so, but after the destruction of his village and the death of his family, he had decided to do it for revenge. It was just a fortunate coincidence that the General Ashtar had taken Zael in sympathy.

Now everything was simpler: just a little more and he would finally kill the man who had destroyed his life.

But that would be only the first step toward his real goal, and although it pained him, it was necessary that Zael didn't know nothing of his plans; he was too idealistic to pursue revenge along with him.

 _Curious, how two kids, orphaned for similar reasons and grew up together, have become two men with very different points of view..._

After a few moments of silence he noticed that Ariela and Jenna were staring at him, waiting for some more details.

«Well,» he continued pointing his mail «this stuff is certainly not the armour that I imagined as a child, but as a mercenary I couldn't afford more. And being paid from the first comer to do anything he ask, that can't be defined "fight for justice".»

Ariela reminded him that, after all, from their arrival in Lazulis they helped lots of people in need, and she was one of them, without asking anything in return and that's got to count for something.

Jenna instead looked at him with an intensity that make him feel uncomfortable.

«That chain mail looks a little dated indeed, and it seems even too thin.»

Apparently she was more interested in their means that their purposes «It's not some stuff that I would sell, but I guess it served to something, since you're still here to talk about it.»

«Who knows how many have you seen!» said Ariela enthusiastic «Come on, tell us some adventure that you lived with your comrades!»

Dagran scratched his head trying to buy time «Uh, frankly Ariela, I don't really like to talk about our work. For the most part they are not pleasant memories.»

The girl seemed disappointed, but after a few seconds, she returned to the attack.

«Maybe you can tell us about what you did here in Lazulis. Here things went well: I've already heard some rumors at the tavern, but you could give us all the details. I wished to ask to your friends, but I didn't want to bother anyone...»

And now that he was alone with her and Jenna, he was at her disposal.

«That's fine. What do you want to know?» sighed Dagran.

Ariela hadn't need to be told twice «Let's see... maybe something about the time you have taken the medicine for my brother at the den of those bandits... no, maybe instead of when you saved that girl - what was her name, Alice? - at the Flame & Lizard... Ah, I got it!» she said satisfied at the end.

«Tell us about how you saved my sister Meredith. It happened not long ago, so it should be fine, right? Horace was too rough to tell me all...»

«Horace? That guy with glasses who has a shop near the tavern?»

Apparently Jenna knew nothing, while Horace revealed himself as a great chatterbox, but Dagran basically saw it coming: back then, while thanking them for their help, he had let slip details very private about what him and Meredith had done once you return home.

«I didn't know she was your sister. Anyway, Yes, » he confirmed «Meredith was gone and Horace was convinced that she was kidnapped by the "inhabitants" of the abandoned mansion in the northern part of the city. He was right, after all.»

«Oh really? Then the stories were true?»

«There were really ghosts and undeads as they say?» intruded Ariela.

«Uh uh, and too many!»

The two women looked excited and encouraged him to continue.

«Unfortunately I can't tell you much more. Those beings had pop from all over trying to capture us and...» as he spoke, he lowered more and more «... they got me. First. I spent half the time locked in a coffin» he concluded. Jenna arched an eyebrow at those words while Ariela did everything she could to not to burst in laugh in his face.

 _Typical. After all even Zael and others just smirked at me always for this. If I fall ever in each trap and ambush is only for bad luck, I'm not doing it on purpose!_

«Anyway eventually we freed all and thanks to Lowell and Yurick and their powers, we pulverized those things.»

«Why were they kidnapping people? Did they eat them?» Ariela said upset.

«Not them, but their boss. We did not understand what exactly it was – I think it was some kind of vampire or something – however, it fed on vital energy. From what we found out by reading the journals found in there, it had evoked by the nobleman who lived in the mansion to increase his power, but it required constant human sacrifices and in the end the noble was overwhelmed.»

«Creepy... But you have defeated it, right?»

«Of course. It was nothing that we are unable to address after all» Dagran couldn't help but say it with a touch of pride. The thing did not escape to Jenna, who decided to put him back in line.

«Listen to him! Didn't you say that you spent half the time in a coffin? You do have to have used some weird trick to defeat it.»

«Uhm, Zael said the son of the nobleman gave him the right weapons, but there it was just the four of us, Horace and Meredith. Besides, I didn't notice anything different in his weapons.»

«So you were helped by a ghost?»

Dagran nodded.

«Stuff that makes you shudder! » Ariela said «as if Reptids and Guraks were already not enough to cause problems. In any case, as long as there are people like you around, I feel more safe. If someone kidnaps me, please rescue me, okay?» she concluded by putting a hand on his shoulder.

Dagran smiled at her, hoping that his face expressed more embarrassment for the compliment rather than shame for the misplaced trust. To know that in practice to enact his revenge it was _him_ to lead Guraks on the island, would it make her feel anything but safe.

Fortunately when he turned his gaze forward again he realized that they had now reached the large and busy access route to Lazulis.

Ariela moved away from the cliffs overlooking the western side of the road and reached the fence looking out on the sea: despite their hurry, she wanted to stay a minute there to watch the horizon a little more.

Jenna approached her and the two began to talk, but Dagran stayed back. Looking around he noticed that several people in the middle of that throngs were staring at him, as if they knew him. He answered politely to their greets and watched them leave excited, like they met some kind of celebrity. Still others, though in smaller numbers, pretended to not having seen or seen angry wit. He had to make a considerable effort of self-control so that his face never showed the contempt he felt for all those people.

 _Hypocrites._

Thanks to Zael's official businesses, now he and the rest of the group were taken into greater consideration, but upon their arrival in Lazulis what kind of welcome they received? Step aside as lepers, almost guilty of the mere fact of existing. And to think that just arrived a few months earlier, right down to one of the outlets of the same road, they had saved the children from the attack of that strange white tiger: all praise and thanks, at least until they discover that their heroes were mercenaries ... a fine way to say thank you!

«Hey, Dagran! We're here!»

Ariela and Jenna were waiting for him to come up to the city gates.

Two of the few people who didn't stop at appearances and treated them with respect. Of course, given their trades was quite normal to treat in that way some potential customers, however, over time and remembering past experiences, he and the others realized that their kindness was sincere.

And moments like that underlined it even more.

«I'm coming» he answered and with the two women e crossed the gates and went on up the hill leading to the town of Lazulis.


	2. At the market

**_Okay, here the second part. Three and four coming soon. As always, mirrored by my Deviant account..._**

 **At the market**

The front square was crowded as usual, even though it was lunch time. Dagran and his two companions had to struggle a lot to get them through the crowd without a hitch. Once they escaped that chaos, they headed to the Tavern in the center of Lazulis, when Ariela stopped abruptly.

«Wait, before we come back, I have to go to the market. I promised to Mina to go and see her, and then I also have to redo food storage: today Mirania ate almost everything we had.»

«I know the story…» Dagran said, thinking about his wallet, almost empty because of the huge "snacks" that he had offered to his mercenary friend.

«If you want to go right back to the Tavern go ahead, I don't want to oblige to come.»

«And leave you alone to carry all that weight? Out of question! What kind of Knight in training would I be?»

«Okay then,» said Ariela with a laugh. They took one of the side streets and departed in the maze of narrow streets of Lazulis, towards their destination. The houses, huddled together, leaved little room to move, forcing them even to proceed in line at some points. Their footsteps echoed solitary for the cobblestone streets. Through the narrow streets, they crossed few others, well covered in an attempt to not breathe the damn "dust" that hovered everywhere. By dint of making continuous turns, Dagran had nearly lost all sense of direction, when they finally arrived at the wide street that held the main market.

Both sides of the street were occupied in full by stalls and tents and from every direction were the calls of merchants who praised the quality of their goods. Ariela moved away in search of her friend, while Dagran and Jenna looked around.

«I wonder how much these people pay to put here their stalls... maybe I could come along to sell my weapons, sometimes. The Tavern is convenient, no doubt on it, but here in the open there are more potential costumers » said the woman.

«If you get along with someone, you can share a space in exchange for a small percentage.»

«You look well informed. Did you came here to sell something?»

«Not me, but Zael. When we arrived he did a favor to one of the merchants there and that guy allowed him to use part of his space.»

Jenna whistled impressed.

«You have been busy right away! Did your friend made good earnings?»

«Yeah. We had a bit of useless stuff aside and we got rid of it earning something. In fact we still have, if you're interested...»

«Of course I am!» she replied «One of these days you and your friends come at my place and we'll see what we can do.»

«Then we have a deal...»

A scream followed by a thud did turn the two.

Next to a grocery store, a blonde girl was sitting on the ground. With one hand she massaged her back while the other hand held in her lap an empty wooden bowl. Scattered around many oranges rolled down to the pavement. Judging by the simple dress and the apron, she was the one to take care of the store.

«Mina!» Ariela was back from them and had recognized the girl. «Are you hurt?»

«Ouch… no big deal. Someone shed again the marbles near the counter» she answered unhappy. At that point Dagran came up and held an hand to the girl.

«Wait, I'll help...»

«Dagran, look out!" Jenna warned him, but it was too late.

The merchant was just in time to finish the sentence that Dagran was already face down not far from Mina.

Most of the passers-by he was too busy in the shop to pay attention to the scene, but he was sure to have heard at least a few snickering behind his back.

«It seems that the marbles this time did two victims instead of one. Are you all right?» asked Jenna stooping over him while Ariela collected those evil toys.

He grunted an affirmative but unconvinced answer as he put on his knees. He had fallen on some oranges and in addition to the pangs for the fall, he now had the chain mail dirty of pieces of fruit and the skin moist of sticky juice.

«I'm sorry!» Mina said, who in the meantime had gone back on her feet and tried to reach him.

Unfortunately, some fugitive marbles weakened again her steps and flailing her arms in an effort to maintain balance, the girl struck him strongly to the face with the bowl that she was still holding. For a few seconds Dagran saw nothing but sparks. Mina was increasingly agitated and kept apologizing.

«Don't worry» he tried to reassure her, rubbing his own forehead «If a hit like this was enough to send me down, I wouldn't last a day as a mercenary.»

«I'm mortified. I wish I could do something to fix it...»

«A cloth to dry out will be fine.»

Dagran was back on his feet and had started to take off the pieces of orange. At least the leather trousers and the cape had saved.

«Oh, the mail will be all gooey feeling! Look, I can give you a spare: my house is right other there» Mina said indicating the lane behind him.

«Come on, you don't need to. This was fouled with far worse stuff...»

«But now you work for the Count» Ariela commented «Going around dirty with food is not suitable for a similar commitment.»

«Not to mention that he already has too many animals at its dependencies...» Jenna whispered launching a dirty look to a couple of guards with long white jackets on the other side of the street.

Following the woman's gaze, Dagran noted that the two were bothering a baker. After an exchange of jokes anything but friendly, the guards had snatched from the hands of the baker a basket full of bread and pastries and then they went away laughing and without paying.

He pursed his lips in an hard expression.

Avenge his family was just the beginning. He had come there looking for enough power to ensure that no one else had to suffer what he had passed, and without even doing it on purpose Zael awakened that power buried on the island: the Outsider. It was exactly what he was looking for, however the strength evoked by the stars was broken in half: to complete his plans, he had to get the missing part...

As he followed the two guards with his gaze, he felt someone pull his arms.

«Come on» Ariela and Jenna were dragging him towards the door of Mina's house.

«All right...» he saw that he had no choice.

The room where they led him was simple: just a dining table with four chairs and a chest of drawers. Straight in front of him, a curtain separated the kitchen from the rest of the room, while the right side was occupied almost entirely by stairs leading to the upper floor.

«Here.»

Mina was coming down the stairs and called Dagran to reach her behind the kitchen curtain. There she handed him a towel, a duffel bag and a big cream-colored sweater.

«It belongs to my brother; I don't think he would mind if I borrow it to you, though I reckon it's a bit big. When you don't need it any more, you can come back to visit me or give it to Ariela.»

«Thanks.»

The girl gave him a shy smile and then returned by the others, pulling the curtain to give him some privacy. While he untied the laces along the flanks of the mail, he thought that he hardly ever received similar concerns. After removing the mail he folded it and put in the bag – he would calmly clean it at the Tavern – and took water from the sink to rinse off from his skin the juice poured between the rings. On the other side of the curtain he could hear the girls talk to each other, but he didn't care about it.

«Nice tattoo.»

With he corner of his eye, he saw Jenna behind him. She brushed aside the curtain just enough to allow her to slip into the kitchen and she was now leaning against the wall, playing with one of her short brown locks.

«Does it have a meaning?» she asked continuing to look at the tattoo at the base of his neck.

«I don't know» he replied as he wiped himself «I was eleven when I've done it: I chose it because I liked the shape of the wings.»

«Maybe it has to do with the desire for freedom...»

«It can be, but I think at the time I just wanted to prove that I was a tough guy.»

«Without a doubt. Basically, the kids who can count only on themselves to live, are forced to grow faster than the others.»

Dagran looked at her for a moment. Was it so easy to her to understand part of his history?

«I know something about myself» she continued with a sigh « and I also have a tattoo similar to yours, but further down. Maybe one day we can share some anecdotes about our scars...»

As she spoke, she had approached more and more, considering his back with the same attention that he had looked into Lowell's eyes when his companion passed near a beautiful woman.

«...Although from what I see, it seems that you haven't, at least behind.»

«Me and Zael were always watching back at each other: apparently he did a good job with me.»

«You talk about him so often,» she noted with a smile «You're pretty close, huh?»

«It's normal, we grew up together: in practice we are brothers» the words came out with a shade more sad than he wanted.

Jenna was right about their relationship. But since Zael had known Calista, things had changed. The love at first sight between him and the nephew of count Arganan over time had boosted Dagran plans, making his friend more inclined to obey the Lord of Lazulis, but now the whole thing was starting to get complicated. Calista tried in every way to break free from the control of her uncle and this distracted Zael from his goal. Actually Dagran shared their ideas of freedom, but blend in with them could destroy everything for which he had worked. Not to mention that their being close ever deeper was starting to annoy him, making it almost jealous.

 _She's taking him away from me..._

«Did I say something wrong?»

«Hmm?» Dagran realized that Jenna stared at him worried.

«You suddenly darkened...»

«No, it's just that I was reminded of something stupid. Nothing to worry about» the reassured.

She had to say something, but Ariela called her and shortly after the girl, followed by Mina, joined them.

«Have you finished?» she said drawing aside the curtain «Jenna, what are you doing there?»

«We were just doing a chat,» Dagran replied for Jenna as he put on the sweater and allowing the two girl to come in the kitchen. In fact Mina was right about its size: even though he was very tall, the sweater still reached mid thigh and was so wide that although he had broad shoulders, they almost came out of the collar. Her brother was supposed to be a giant! Looking how the sweater hung down on him, Dagran couldn't help but wonder how it was possible that someone continues to make jokes at Mina with a brother like that around. He took off his cape and tied tighter around the waist to mask the wrong size garment.

«I think it can go. Thanks again, Mina.»

He took the bag with dirty mail and after having secured it to his belt, he turned to Ariela.

«Now, didn't we have the supplies to be taken? Your father will be cooking up the furniture to feed the customers right now.»

The girl looked at him confused, but then she reminded the other reason that brought her there. Accompanied by Mina, the three left the girl's house and made fast the round of the market stands, making arrangements for deliveries with sellers and taking what they could get at the time. Dagran insisted to carry alone almost all the cargo; something of which he regretted soon. With a basket big almost as him and full of meat on his back, a couple of small barrels of beer and two huge bags of vegetables in his arms, he trudged with difficulty down the road, nearly without seeing where he was going. When they came in sight of the river that cut in half the city, Ariela and Jenna joined him worried.

«Are you sure you don't want to leave us at least the bags? Our baskets are almost empty...»

«Don't worry, I can make it» he said stubbornly with little breath left. The two though observed his face purple for the effort and sweat dripped from his forehead and then they decided to join and support him as they could along the way.

After a short break, the three continued along the street. Within ten minutes they reached the large central square of the city and after a nod of greeting to the fortune teller still sitting at her Banquet, they went into the Tavern.

The ambiance was cozy and the seats at the tables were all occupied, including the mezzanine giving access to the guest rooms, from what Dagran could see. At the bar on the right of the room, the tapster Kentis was serving what looked like the last remaining pieces of a roast when he saw them go past the door. At the sight of that meat Dagran remembered his hunger and he thanked that the room was so full and noisy: the roars coming from his stomach could almost compete with those of Mirania, and that was saying something! Kentis stepped out from behind the counter making his way between the present with its enormous size, and when he joined Dagran and the others, he looked gruff at the daughter.

«Where the hell have you been? Did you see what time it is? I had to bend over backwards to serve customers!»

«Sorry dad.»

Kentis snorted and scratched his blond beard.

«At least I see that you went to the market. Now go in the kitchen: there are customers that are still waiting.»

After Ariela left with Jenna, Kentis turned his attention to Dagran.

«Thank you for helping my daughter, Master Dagran.»

«That was nothing,» he said while the tapster freed him from the encumbrance of his luggage «basically your stock – please, don't worry, I can still keep it – wouldn't be so empty if it weren't for my group.»

«Well, it's nice to have clients who appreciate good food.»

Kentis smiled under his mustache and led Dagran on the back of the room. Once they put down the supplies, the big man began to split them and brought some in the kitchen.

«Ah, Master Zael came here today» he started, «He was looking for you and your comrades for a request he received at the castle.»

«Did he said what it was about?»

«Only that a soldier had spoken of a cave. The others though were all left at the Arena and haven't returned yet. Now if you'll excuse me, I better prepare other stuff to eat. Do you need something right away?»

«No, I think I'll wait for the return of the others.»

«Then when you'll come back you will find generous portions, so your friend Mirania will be satisfied» added the tapster with a laugh.

Dagran nodded and thanked Kentis for the information and then he walked towards the entrance. There, Jenna was waiting for him.

«It seems that today you don't want to stay still! Oh well, just remember to make me a visit: you intrigued me, with the thing of the market. And then I should have hidden somewhere a reinforced vest that by eye should be of your size, if you're interested.»

«I will come for sure.»

«One last thing...»

The woman approached him and after having passed an arm around his neck, she whispered in his ear «Next time you go for a stroll on the island, carry something to eat: it was quite clear that you were hungry!» and with her free hand she gave him a weak punch in the stomach to emphasize her words.

«I hoped it would be unnoticed...» he chuckled rubbing.

How many times he and others had teased Mirania for that same reason!

«That's why Ariela spoke so loudly so!»

«In part, yes... but luckily you were with two well-bred young ladies and we pointed this out. However for when you come back, you will find my own special blend to clean your mail. Take care.»

Jenna gave him a couple of pats on the back and walked away towards the room where Kentis left her to sell her weapons. Definitely an interesting woman.

With that last thought in his head, Dagran opened the door and left the local to reach his comrades.


	3. The fortune teller

_**Okay, here the part three! A little fun fact: in the beginning, this fanfiction was shorter because part one and two weren't included in the original plot, but then I chose to add some details... Mirrored by my Deviant account.**_

 **The Fortune teller**

As he descended from the porch of the Tavern, Dagran glanced at central square in front of the Tavern.

Occupied almost entirely by a large fountain, the square between the two halves of the city worked as a huge bridge over the river that divided Lazulis. Because of its ornaments, there was never a lot of people around there, aside from couples who had a habit of slipping over on its side balconies, and that day was no exception. Not seeing his comrades, he decided to walk towards the Arganan Bridge to his left and reach the Arena.

«Do you want to know what the future holds, noble Knight?»

He looked around. The speaker was the fortune teller sitting right where he had seen her a few minutes before and that morning at the crack of dawn, under the closest of the four columns that surround the square. Wrapped in her purple tunic, the face half-hidden by a hood, she waved him to sit on the stool in front of her.

«You were misinformed,» he said «I'm not yet a Knight.»

«But having regard to the recent exploits of your group, you will be soon, right? Let me show you your fate...»

«No, thank you: I already know how it will be without having to lose money.»

«I'm not going to ask you anything in return» insisted the woman «To have seen the future of a hero will be reward enough...»

Dagran snorted sarcastically.

«... on the other hand, with your friend I was right. As always, after all.»

«My friend? » he asked puzzled.

«Master Zael. He asked for my help shortly after your arrival on the island. And he was very happy with it; so much so that he often asked advice from me.»

Dagran smiled in that sentence. It was typical of Zael to be duped by similar deals. If he remembered right, during their first day in that city his friend had been robbed by a gang of punks. But even the two of them, about fifteen years before, they had started in a similar way, before becoming mercenaries themselves. Even though at the time Dagran did most of the work: Zael was too fragile at the beginning...

The memory of those days brought a pang of melancholy.

He shook his head. «Thanks for the offer, but I'm not interested.»

He decided to continue without looking back. The woman, however, seemed just as determined to stick with him.

«It's well known that knowledge is power, noble "almost" Knight, and any information could be useful, if you know how to use it. Even a humble fortune teller like me knows some secrets of Lazulis, secrets that not even the Count can imagine.»

With those words he paused to reflect. There were many gullible people around the world and certainly Lazulis it was full. He knew also that those who turn to fortune tellers often end up to reveal a lot of information without realizing it: maybe he could gain some advantage from her.

«Secrets, huh?» he said «And without having to give some sort of reward? It's hard to believe...»

«If you are not satisfied, you'll lose anything.»

Dagran pretended to hesitate a bit, then he came over to the table in front of her and sat on the stool. His comrades would return soon anyway: Mirania wouldn't allow in anyone or anything to make her skip lunch.

«I think I can give you a few minutes, after all.»

«I was sure of it. Give me your hand.»

«And we don't use it?» he replied nodding to the ball on the table. The golden eyes of his reflection in the mirror-polished stone, reciprocated his gaze. The fortune teller ignored it and devoted his attention to the hand that Dagran handed to her.

«That is only for the specific questions and to impress the fools… I understand your skepticism. There are many charlatans traveling the world, but some of us are really able to do what they say. We are Mages too, after all.»

«Sure, sure...»

Regardless of the comment, the woman continued to observe his hand. Her touch was odd, as if it was icy and scalding hot at the same time.

«You're really fond on your friends,» she said after a while, «but I see that among them there is a person to whom you would like to offer much more than your friendship.»

It was true, however almost all those who turned to a fortune teller did it for love affairs: it was not much of a revelation.

«It's always like this, isn't it?»

The women smiled «That's right. I also see that in spite of the strength of your feelings, you never revealed them. Is it the fault of the life you do? Is it because you are mercenaries?»

It was obvious that Zael gave her that information in one of their meetings, or she had assisted to their arrival in Lazulis. As it was a harmless question, he decided to answer truthfully.

«Well, although now we're more into account, we are little more than cannon fodder sold to the highest bidder: what kind of life I could offer? I've already lost so many comrades, not to mention that...»

Dagran stopped before descending into the staff. That memory that was about to recall made him sick again now.

«I understand… The love you feel for this person, no matter how strong it is, it cannot stifle the anger and hatred that you carry within you for a long time.»

This time his skepticism gave place to astonishment «What are you talking about?»

«I feel a deep grudge in you,» said the woman, «someone in the past has made a serious wrong to you, something that has left an indelible mark on your life.»

He shrugged «Like I said, I'm a mercenary and I lost many of my...»

The fortune teller interrupted him «It goes back a long before all this. When you were a child ...»

The speech was starting to take a turn that he didn't like at all. He pounded his free hand on the table. «I don't want to talk about it!» he blurted out.

Until that time the woman had talked continuing to slide her fingers on the right hand of Dagran, with such a concentration that his sudden reaction made her jump and lost her grip. She seemed almost relieved. She waited a couple of seconds before continuing to speak.

«I beg your pardon. It wasn't my intention to evoke bad memories.»

She seemed sincere, but Dagran didn't care. That reference to when he was a child...

 _Only Zael knows what happened, and I haven't even told him everything. He cannot have told her. He would never do such a thing! Is it possible that ...?_

... that she was really able to predict the future? Did she had seen his past?

Did she knew what he was doing _now_?

He began to fear that the woman really had the powers that she claimed to possess, and he felt stupid for having accepted her offer: there was a risk that someone could reveal his plans, if she really was able to see them.

His face was to reveal rather well his agitation, because when he gave a quick look around he noticed that the few passers-by who were on the road and in the square were looking at him puzzled. To his surprise, that helped him to calm down.

People saw a lot of things, even if they don't realize, and taking various details from multiple sources you could get information of all kinds. Even Jenna was able to understand that he was orphaned when he was still a child, just hearing few details and adding them to her personal experience.

A thought flashed in his mind. She was at the front door of the Tavern shortly before he left: maybe she was the one that gave that detail of his past to te fortune teller.

And why on earth would she do that? No, it was too ridiculous.

 _I'm getting paranoid..._

«Are you all right?»

Dagran brought his attention to the fortune teller. His long silence seemed to have worried her.

«I was just minding my own» he replied rubbing his eyes.

«If you want, we can let this go. I'm afraid I have upset more than necessary.»

«No, no. I just reacted a little overwhelming, that's all. Let's conclude» he handed to her his hand again «Just... I already know my past: can you just "watch" only my future?»

The woman looked hesitant, as if she preferred that he gave up. After a few seconds, she took his hand between hers. The expression on her face was almost resigned.

«Yes, it can be done, but be warned that it will be pretty vague.»

«Tell me what you can» he reassured her.

The fortune teller bowed her head and began to study his hand. Her touch soon returned to make him cringe. This time she was the one to stay a long time in silence. Dagran was curious to find out how it ended the affair: was she a fake or a fortune teller?

«You're designing something that will help everyone and will give you peace...»

He become attentive. Those who were "helping" him could not of course talked to that woman, and if anyone else knew of his plans, they would have already killed him long ago.

«So far everything went well,» she continued «however… Yes, someone will betray your trust. Someone very important.»

Dagran arched an eyebrow. Betray him? That thought left him perplexed as he listened to the rest.

«I can't see who will be or in which way this person will betray your expectation, but don't worry: you'll still achieve your goal.»

He felt almost disappointed. She had tried all the time to convince him of the authenticity of her powers and then she concluded it all in a so trivial way?

«Ah, well. I was almost worried!» Dagran said sarcastically.

Under the hood, the face of the woman assumed an expression that made him regret the words just said. It was outrage or sadness?

«Is there anything else?» he asked.

«Well, that's…» she seemed reluctant to talk. After a moment she shook her head and left his hand. «No, that's all.»

Dagran stared at her for a long time. In the end the gave up and began to chuckle.

"Hats. You almost had me for a while. And to think that I was expecting some kind of revelations! _Secrets that not even the Count can imagine!_ I doubt that he would be interested into the projects of a mercenary.»

She listened to him in silence and it seemed strange.

«This should not be the time when you try to convince me that what you've said so far is the truth?»

«Why should I? It seems that you're more satisfied to think that I'm an impostor. And in some ways it's better for both of us if you continue to believe it."

The woman's voice had become sad. Maybe she was trying to make him feel sorry for.

«For what it's worth» she continued «know that my predictions always come true.»

«Oh, really?» Dagran said skeptically.

«Unfortunately yes.»

That sad reply surprised him.

«Let's suppose that I believe you. What harm could it do the fact that your predictions come true? You said that I will reach my goal despite a betrayal and you have seen that it will bring good to all: do you think this is something to be afraid of?»

«The fact is that...»

«Hey, Dagran!»

Zael's voice interrupted the fortune teller. He had just come from the bridge's road and he was reaching them with the others. The clothes of the five were all dusty for the fighting in the Arena, and judging from the satisfied face of Syrenne and the bulging bag that she blew in the hand, the game was gone again in their favor.

«You too with a fortune teller? I thought only Zael was interested in such a ting. Come on, let's go to celebrate our victory!» said the warrior gave him a pat on the back.

«Sorry, my dear,» Lowell said turning to the fortune teller one of his womanizer smiles «but we have to take away our friend. You know, we are so busy today...»

«There is no problem, we just finished.»

Dagran actually wanted to continue their speech. He had a suspicion that the woman was hiding something, but the presence of his fellows was holding him back. He concluded that it was better to just forget the whole thing. As Dagran followed his friends that came up on the porch of the Tavern, the fortune teller motioned him to come closer.

«Just one more thing» she said softly.

He turned around and gave a quick glance at his comrades to make sure they couldn't hear the conversation. Syrenne was mocking Lowell and his habit of hitting on almost any woman he saw while Mirania was explaining to Yurick what they would find on the table.

«Really, sometimes I feel like I have a truffle dog instead of a Mage by my side!" he heard him comment: Mirania's nose never stopped to amaze them. Even Zael was on the porch and followed the scene amused.

At that point Dagran turned again his attention to the fortune teller.

«What is it?»

"When I first talked about the secrets of Lazulis, I meant what I said: there are things that not even the Count knows; things that precede the founding of Lazulis. Since we won't meet ever again, I will ask for your friend at the shop near here to help me transcribe what I know and to deliver it to you as soon as possible. I know you won't read those texts, but in the future for your friends they will be critical...»

«Wait a minute! What is all this about? What do you mean with "we won't meet..."» Dagran was now really close to the woman's face and he could see her well under the hood. She was more or less ten years older than him and her face was rather common, but her large brown eyes had something uncanny. He left the sentence in half when he understood what bothered him in her eyes: they had no pupils and were slightly opaque.

«But, you are ...?»

«Blind? Yes, but I won't bore you with my story. Remember to leave the information you'll get where your friends can find them.»

He looked at her confused, wondering why she gave him that suggestion.

«Now it is better if you go: your friends are waiting for you.»

The fortune teller stood up and gathered up her things and flicks and began to move along the central square.

«Wait» Dagran stopped her «I... well, thank you, I guess.»

«You're welcome, Master Dagran.»

«By the way… Since apparently we won't meet ever more, could you tell me your name? Just to know who has "revealed" me some secrets.»

The woman stared at him for a moment – or at least, her eyes were turned towards him, though she could not see him – and then she answered.

«My name is Cassandra.»

That name was familiar to him. Before he could come to mind where he'd heard it, Zael joined him and asked if everything was okay. He nodded. Meanwhile Cassandra was gone.

At that point the two returned to the Tavern. Zael was curious to know what the fortune teller had revealed to him, not to mention that he had noticed the oversized shirt that he was wearing, so Dagran girdled his shoulders with an arm as they entered and settled down with the others at the table prepared by Kentis. He told tem about Ariela and the other things, omitting some details of the conversation with Cassandra.

«Then make us Knights will bring benefits to the population? This is a good news, even if it doesn't surprise me that much» said Lowell taking his tankard of beer.

«Yep.»

«I believe her anyway» Zael said «Powers like this exist. Yurick and Mirania these days have studied some books on magic in the Castle Library and have found numerous references in formulas for predicting the future and famous seers, right?»

Yurick shrugged. «Yes, although this is mostly about to "speculate" on future: according to those books, knowing the future means to change it and this makes the predictions unreliable, especially if made for fools.»

Yurick stopped when he saw Ariela who carried their lunch. When she passed him his plate, he thanked her and resumed the speech: «However I doubt that a fortune teller of the streets may have access to stuff like this: powers like this always have a price» he said beating the index on the bandage covering his right eye.

Dagran mused about that detail. In order to have full control of his powers, the boy had had to replace his eye with a magic stone.

«Maybe that's why Cassandra is blind…» he muttered to himself.

«She's blind? Damn, I went to her so many times and I've never ...»

«Wait a minute!» Syrenne interrupted Zael and turned to Dagran «That fortune teller is called Cassandra?»

He confirmed and the woman bowed his head doubtfully. It seemed that she was trying to remember something. Lowell didn't lose the opportunity to bother her and started to ruffle her long red hair.

«Forget it, otherwise your head will break out.»

«Stop it!»

«Her name is the same of is the cursed Seer of that legend.»

Mirania was the one who spoke now. The others turned to her while she summarized the story between mouthfuls «Her predictions were always correct, but due to a curse no one believed her, not even when the predictions came true.»

Syrenne snapped her fingers towards her friend when she remembered that story.

«I knew I'd heard it somewhere!»

«Now I remember it too. It always made me sad. But never mind all this talk and think about the most important things» cut in Dagran «Zael, Kentis said that a soldier had spoken of a cave. Exactly, what is it?»


	4. The vision

_**Aaaaand... this is the last part! Watch out for spoilers about the game... and a new story that will begin soon ;) Mirrored by my account on Deviant as always.**_

 **The vision**

While she walked down the streets of Lazulis, Cassandra returned with her mind at the moment when she had revealed to that young man her name. She had noticed his uncertainty, and she was sure that in a short time he or one of his friends would read the link. Yes, her name was Cassandra and as the one in the legend, she had a gift... and a curse, even if different. Many years before she had managed to summon a spirit that she had asked for the power to see the future.

That day her eyes on the present were closed forever, giving her a chance to look over, both forward and backward in time. Gone blind, she could no longer "see", however she could perceive something like a distant music, and interpret its meaning quite accurately. What the spirit had not said was that if she stopped using that power, she would die within a few days, and that at the same time that once she had "heard" someone's future, it would become unchangeable, with no possibility of remedy.

Of course, that depended on how far she pushed with the prediction: that's why she limited herself to matters of love or business. Sometimes, however, the power was pressing so hard inside her that she had to hear it all.

Just as it had happened that day.

While walking in her world of darkness, Cassandra thought with sadness to the past of the man she had just condemned. His family exterminated. His plan for revenge. The encounter with the child who would become much more than a friend. Cassandra felt guilty for telling him he would reach his goal and that would bring happiness to all.

 _It was the truth... too bad to get it, he'll transform into a monster and then he will force one of the most important people in his life to kill him._

And she couldn't do anything about it.

She regretted that she managed to convince him to listen to her. If she hadn't heard the future of his friend Zael, probably she would never have attracted his attention, but during one of their meetings she had warned that in the following years the young man would suffer immensely over something that was going to happen. That time she had managed not to hear everything, granting Zael to change even just a small part of his future, but her curiosity and her own power had prompted her to seek out the missing details and so, once recognized Dagran as the object of that prediction, she wanted to learn more. Cassandra wasn't prepared for what she heard about his future.

She had to stop for a moment in a lonely path to rest. That meeting had been the most exhausting and sinister ever made. Over the years she had experienced fatal events, but the manner in which _that_ prediction was concluded...

She heard the lance through the flesh of Dagran; his last words coming out of his lips; the life leaving his body.

And despite the death, the prediction continued in a long, eerie silence, as if someone had erased everything. The most likely explanation was that it was so because Dagran was dead, yet it didn't completely convince her. Yes, because in the end that unnatural silence was interrupted, and soon after she had _seen_ Her.

It was a sharp, perfect image, as when she was still able to see. A woman was bending over Dagran. The light that she emanated wasn't enough to let Cassandra to see where they were. The woman had white skin like porcelain, and had no eyebrows. Her lips too were white, devoid of emotion. Her features suggested to the peoples of the lands of Northern cold. Instead of clothes, her body was covered by skeletal, dead ivy-like tendrils that shrouded part of the chest, leaving the shoulders uncovered and then went down wrapping her legs like a gown. Her arms were outstretched toward him, their white skin was torn and bent backwards around forearms like the petals of a flower, showing twisted hands similar to roots. Instead of hair, She had a tangle of brambles filled with iron thorns writhed like a bunch of snakes upwards. Shortly before the end of the vision, the woman was so close to the face of Dagran that Cassandra, through him, could distinguish only her eyes. Big eyes with white irises enclosed in a thin black ring. She would find wonderful that creature, even if a little creepy if she hadn't known _who_ she was.

But she knew it. And this made it terrifying.

Not to mention the screams. For all that vision, there was only a sound to fill her ears: the screams of Dagran. He was dead, and yet he was screaming in pain.

In the past, Cassandra had traveled far and wide to the world through her researches, as well as finding the conjuring which would gave her those powers, and she rediscovered ancient manuscripts that spoke of that creature and her eternal sleep.

The latest, as well as the last to speak about Her, asserted that when in Lazulis the force called "the Outsider" was evoked by the stars, her sleep started to become agitated. Cassandra knew that the immense power of the Outsider attracted to itself all the energy that surrounded it and used it to create something new, and she understood the connection between the Outsider and Her, and her fury too. Even in her vision, despite its almost sad expression, that being conveyed anger.

 _Soon She will wake up. I've seen it and therefore it will happen. We're all going to die and it will be all my fault!_

But perhaps she could still do something. The fate of Dagran was marked by now, but through him she could pass all she knew about Her to his friends and warn them of the danger. That faint hope was all she had.

She slumped to the ground and taking her face in the hands, began to weep in despair in the solitude of the lane.

 _What have I done?_


End file.
